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@adnyole Hello!  I have a few thoughts 🙂

Before I get started, I am going to (non-graphically) discuss sexual abuse in this context, so just a heads up in case this is a sensitive topic for you!  Also, I don’t know what your gender is, so I’m just going to address both sides of the issue XD

So, I guess my question is, what was the context behind the master fathering the child?  Was Lydia completely willfully committing adultery, or was there some kind of force/coercion involved?  I think a lot of people (myself included) would view this kind of relation between a master and slave as a form of sexual abuse/assault, given the extreme power imbalance and the fact that the slave doesn’t have the “right” to refuse.  So for me personally, this is the context in which I would be viewing this plot point (and that’s the perspective I’ll be taking for now as I discuss this, although I do understand that this might not be the case!)  I think that the implications of this plot point make it much more difficult, because this is both a very taboo and sensitive subject, and one that can potentially be triggering or upsetting to readers who are survivors of sexual abuse (depending on how it’s handled).

Now, I’m personally very sensitive to this topic (even though I haven’t experienced it myself), and find it really viscerally disturbing.  But, I understand that not everyone feels this way!  I think my main concern would lie in the way it’s handled.  This could be a very powerful inclusion if it’s handled appropriately, but if it’s just a way of adding emotional stakes, I think that could be confusing and potentially hurtful to some people.

I think the main issue is that subject is just so raw and vulnerable for so many people.  However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t write about it at all!  Lets say that this was ann issue of some kind of abuse.  How would Lydia handle having to give birth to a child who was conceived out of abuse?  How would Yona feel about having to raise the child of the man who enslaved him and abused his wife?  How does Ambrose see all of this?  He’s still just a teenager, and I think it would be really difficult for him to witness this happen.  What about the child?  He or she might someday find out that their father is either an adulterer or a predator, and that would be a very difficult pill to swallow.  Honestly, there’s some really interesting ways you could develop this, and I think there’s some really cool potential for powerful themes!  However, if this inclusion doesn’t have the impact on the plot it merits (like if it’s just there to add stakes or drama) that could feel very cheap.  I also think that it’s really important to show the lasting effects of this situation, because regardless if it’s abuse or adultery, it’s a very weighty and difficult situation.  If Lydia actively wanted to commit adultery, then I think it’s important to explore what led to her committing this sin, and the lasting impact of that broken trust.  If it was abuse, then I think it’s very important to consider the trauma and lasting psychological effects (especially since she’s in a constant physical awareness of the abuse – her abuser’s baby.)

Btw, I think that it would be a really great inclusion if it does impact her intimacy with her husband!  I think that would make it feel much more real and impactful in the storyline, and it sounds very realistic (at least from my POV).  It also opens up opportunities to explore themes of shame and healing.  Obviously, if you feel like God is telling you no, then you should listen, but I think that there’s ways of showing this without directly showing the sexual side (like non-sexual forms of intimacy).  Keep praying about it!  If you don’t feel like you should write it, then absolutely don’t, but there are other kinds of intimacy besides sex 🙂

I also really like @arindown ‘s idea of Lydia not knowing who fathered the child!

Also on the subject of “telling other people’s stories:”

So, for example, I’ve noticed that sometimes male writers tend to not portray this topic with as much care as I (a woman) would prefer.  This isn’t to say that men are insensitive, or bad writers, but I think that it’s just not a daily concern for many of them, so maybe there’s kind of a disconnect there.  Does this mean that men should never ever write about sexual abuse?  Of course not!  Is this sometimes a case of writing a story that isn’t theirs to tell?  I’d argue in some cases, absolutely.

On the flip side, I am a woman who has never been abused this way.  Is this a story that isn’t mine to tell?  I’d argue in many ways, yes!  It’s certainly not something I feel comfortable writing at this point, because I don’t think I could do the subject justice.  On the other hand, there’s likely many men who could write this subject with more sensitivity than me!  I think in some cases it really has to do with how well it’s developed and how sensitively and carefully it’s portrayed than the experiences of the author, but that’s just my opinion.

I actually went through something similar a few months ago, when I decided to add something rather heavy/controversial to my own story.  One thing that stood out to me was that it had to impact the plot and character development – I couldn’t include it just because, and if I wanted to include it I had to a. pray about it and b. develop it in list of Biblical truths and compassion 🙂

Also, SE published a great article on writing about trauma/difficult topics without triggering your readers.  You might want to give it a look!  I found it very interesting and thoughtfully written.

Hope this helped!  Your story sounds really interesting!